by Siobhann Dunn

RESEARCH released today showed that 6.5 million people in the UK are providing unpaid care to a family member or friend with 3 million having to juggle work and care.

Today is Carers Right Day which aims to acknowledge what they are entitled to. UWS Newsroom spoke with carer Trisha who says she doesn’t know what those rights are; “nobody has ever taken the time to run it through me.  My mum went from being a lady who is out and about to being bed bound, needing 24 hour care.”

Trisha’s experience is not an isolated one. According to Carers Scotland 3 in 5 people become carers in their lifetime. For many, trying to balance work and caring can be a challenge. She explained: “My dad has been left with the bulk of the work and he doesn’t actually keep well himself so me and my sister go down when we can. I work and my sister has two young kids at school so we go down as much as we can.

“For me, I have a full time job and I have really had to give up a lot I feel like I am always running about trying to catch up with house work and shopping because if I am not at work I am down at theirs helping . Theres times I have had to give up my nights out and went to stay with my mum and dad because she hasn’t been good and my dad is exhausted.”

Trisha and her sister have dedicated their free time to helping their mum, who is bed bound after falling ill in 2015. But says that although it is hard, she continues to help whenever she can. She continued: “She’s my mum and I am going to go down and care for her but its very, very hard to do because its my mum and its hard to see her suffer but at the same time I am going to do it because thats just what you do. ”

Carers Scotland has released a 2018, ‘Looking after someone guide’ which will provide informations and support for carers. This can be found online. 

Our report Brodie Gettins reports.